LAFAYETTE - Trekking through rocky terrain and pushing past the elements at a quick pace is what makes high school cross country one of the riveting sports to follow during the fall.
With the first race scheduled at Tippecanoe Amphitheater on Aug. 16, here's a look at the top 10 runners to watch in 2024.
Rankings are based on times and seedings from the 2023 IHSAA State, Regional and Sectional Championships.
1. Hayden Kemple
School: Clinton Prairie
Class: Senior
Best times : 15:54.9 at IHSAA State - personal record (45th), 16.11.2 at IHSAA Regional 3 (28th), 16.23.4 at IHSAA Sectional 11 (1st).
2. Christopher Angeles
School: Frankfort
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:20.6 at IHSAA State (115th), 15:47.9 at IHSAA Regional 3 (13th), 16:37.1 at IHSAA Sectional 11 (2nd).
3. Ryan Miloudi
School: West Lafayette
Class: Senior
Best times: 15.55.2 at IHSAA State - personal record (46th), 15:55 at IHSAA Regional 3 (16th), 16:10.6 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (1st).
4. Ian Lah
School: Harrison
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:24.6 NCC Conference meet - personal record (2nd), 16:24.6 at IHSAA Regional 3 (38th), 16.33 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (4th).
5. Nathan Odle
School: Seeger
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:49.2 at IHSAA Sectional 12 - personal record (10th), 16:46.4 IHSAA Regional 3 (58th), 18.01 at North Vermillion Invitational (5th).
6. Jack Chandler
School: West Lafayette
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:50.3 at IHSAA Regional 3 (62nd), 16:56.4 at IHSAA Sectional 12 - personal record (13th), 17:18.7 at City County (10th).
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7. Darien Olivio-Hernandez
School: Lafayette Jeff
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:52.4 at IHSAA Regional 3 (63rd), 16:51.4 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (11th), 16:25.7 at Harrison Invite - personal record (17th).
8. Elias Rodriguez
School: Lafayette Jeff
Class: Senior
Best times: 16:55.1 at IHSAA Regional 3 (65th), 16:35.8 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (6th), 16:28.7 at Harrison Invite - personal record (19th).
9. Evan Lottes
School: Harrison
Class: Junior
Best times: 16:55.1 at IHSAA Regional 3 (66th), 16:46 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (9th).
10. Luca Reynolds
School: West Lafayette
Class: Sophomore
Best times: 16:56.5 at IHSAA Regional 3 (70th), 17:18.3 at IHSAA Sectional 12 (19th), 17:12.8 at 2023 Wildcat Invitational - personal record (88th).
Ethan Hanson is the sports reporter for the Journal & Courier in Lafayette. He can be reached at ehanson@gannett.com , on Twitter at EthanAHanson and Instagram at ethan_a_hanson .
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Take your mark! 10 Lafayette area high school boys cross country runners to watch
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